Arkansas Tech senior Jessica Weatherford (left) scored six of her game-high 23 points in overtime as the Golden Suns came from behind to beat Arkansas-Monticello 68-62 In Thursdays first round of the GAC women's tournament in Bartlesville, Okla. (THE COURIER / ATU, Liz Chrisman)

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. — Arkansas Tech’s Golden Suns finally broke the Bruin Fieldhouse curse, but it took them an extra five minutes to do it Thursday night.

Somehow, some way, ATU came back from a seven-point deficit with under three minutes to go in regulation and finally put away the eighth-seeded Arkansas-Monticello Cotton Blossoms 68-62 in the first round of the Great American Conference women’s basketball tournament.

The Golden Suns (21-6) advance to Saturday’s semifinal at 2:30 p.m. Arkansas Tech lost in the first round of the inaugural GAC tournament last season.

“I really liked our focus in this game,” Golden Suns head coach Dave Wilbers said. “We were ready to play basketball today. We were in the same locker room (as last year), and we had a bad start last year. Our team found a way to get it done today.”

Senior Rosie Silva, the GAC women’s player and defensive player of the year, scored five of ATU’s six points to get the Suns their first lead, 25-24, with 3:16 to go in the first half after Arkansas-Monticello (6-21) led by as many as seven points through the majority of the first half.

The Caracas, Venezuela native tied the school record for steals (267) late in the first half, then surpassed former all-American Jennifer Richardson with her 268th steal late in the second half. She went on to hit a pair of free throws that pulled the Golden Suns within 56-53 with a minute to go.

ATU went on a 9-0 scoring run that gave the Suns a 27-26 lead at halftime, but Jordan Goforth — who averaged nearly 21 points a game in UAM’s two previous losses to Arkansas Tech — helped the Cotton Blossoms go on a 7-0 run to open the second half.

A 3-pointer by Silva — the only 3-pointer by the Golden Suns in the game (1-of-13) — gave ATU a short-lived 40-37 lead.

Goforth scored nine of Arkansas-Monticello’s next 11 points, and her 3-pointer gave the Cotton Blossoms a 49-42 lead. But the Golden Suns cut their deficit to 49-46 with 5:45 to go on a Silva layup.

The turning point in the game came with 2:31 to go in the second half. Cara Neighbors missed a pair of free throws, but Jasmine Poole pulled the offensive rebound and put the ball back and in. Goforth hit a free throw to make it 57-53 with 1:14 remaining.

Weatherford netted six unanswered, and her basket with 15 seconds showing tied the score 57-57. Freshman Caitlyn Spurgeon blocked UAM’s 3-point attempt, and another five minutes was put on the block for overtime.

ATU wrapped up its 12-1 scoring run on Weatherford’s bucket that gave the Suns a 61-57 lead with 3:41 left. Goforth, who led the Cotton Blossoms with 23 points, hit an inside jumper and ensuing free throw to pull Arkansas-Monticello within 63-62 with two minutes remaining. But Weatherford and Westin Taylor scored Arkansas Tech’s final points in the final minute to set the final margin.

“They had all kinds of momentum, we were missing free throws, and Jasmine just busted through there and broke their momentum,” Wilbers explained. “It was a terrific basketball game. Credit UAM, they played an awfully good game. We missed so many point-blank shots in the first half, but I liked the way our players were strong and tough and got it done.

“I’m real proud of our team. When I came to Arkansas Tech, I knew Jessica and knew she had to be a Golden Sun. When it’s crunch time, she has stepped up and made some big plays. She just keeps delivering. For Rosie to break that steals record in two seasons, that’s phenomenal.”

Weatherford finished with 23 points and 16 rebounds, as ATU shot 42 percent from the field and did struggle at the charity stripe (13-of-23). Silva finished with 20 points, seven rebounds, five assists, four steals and one block. Poole scored 10 points and pulled down eight rebounds. Spurgeon, Tikeyiah Johnson and Eubanks each netted four points. Eubanks pulled down six rebounds. Taylor took three charges, as the Golden Suns outrebounded the Cotton Blossoms 48-39 but suffered 20 turnovers to UAM’s 15.